letter of rec question - should all four slots on PTCAS be filled if we can?

[pre-PT student 20]

Hoping for any advice/insight on a letter of rec question.

Most of the DPT programs that I am applying to this summer require two or three letters max - with one from PT, one from professor, and other of choice (can be PT, professor, boss, supervisor, etc.). Going into this application cycle, I have received offers to write letters on my behalf from three professionals I've gotten to know during my time in undergrad - one PT that I work with (over 500 hours so far), one PT that I observed with last semester (~50 hours), and also from a supervisor for a community program I have volunteered with for the past two years (probably ~50 hours of work all together). I also know I need to get one from a professor because all the programs I am applying to require this.

With that being said, if I have the three offers plus the one I know I am required to get (professor), should I fill up all four slots on PTCAS? Or is that overkill? Should I stick with the one PT I know better from working, and use my volunteer supervisor as my third letter, and not do the PT that I observed with for a semester? Or should I do two different PTs and not put in my volunteer supervisor?

I don't know if this is actually that serious of an issue, just hoping for some insight haha. Thanks in advance for any thoughts!

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[PTGalPaL]

Personally I would say choose the combo of those which you think will give you the best and brightest rec letters! If you think that all four will be glowing go with all four, if there's one that you're not so sure about, maybe skip it. But I would recommend making sure you check the "required" boxes, I would hate to see it get overlooked potentially on a silly technicality like that!

 

[pre-PT student 20]

Personally I would say choose the combo of those which you think will give you the best and brightest rec letters! If you think that all four will be glowing go with all four, if there's one that you're not so sure about, maybe skip it. But I would recommend making sure you check the "required" boxes, I would hate to see it get overlooked potentially on a silly technicality like that!

Thank you for your thoughts, I appreciate it! That makes sense. And yes I will definitely check everything over. Thanks again!!

 

[ya1]

It should not really matter which ones you will pick as long as their rec letters are good. Maybe pick the best letter if you can preview them. You can post 4 letters as well, but schools may not read the 4th one (they don't have time to read all those letters thoroughly) and pick randomly.

 

[pre-PT student 20]

It should not really matter which ones you will pick as long as their rec letters are good. Maybe pick the best letter if you can preview them. You can post 4 letters as well, but schools may not read the 4th one (they don't have time to read all those letters thoroughly) and pick randomly.

Thank you for the response, that was also something I thought about too. Definitely something to consider, thanks again for your thoughts!